This is really quite hilarious. You guys know Xiaxue has her own Internet TV show called Xiaxue’s Guide To Life, right?

In her latest episode, she got conned by her producers to review a fake China-made iPhone, thinking that it’s the real iPhone. Hahaha. After that, they did the candid camera routine, had a good laugh, and then gave her the real iPhone to try out.

Now, in her review, she dissed the iPhone, using words such as “sucks”, “mediocre” and “shitty” to describe it. Gizmodo, a prolific USA tech blog which receives 50 million page views a month, picked up her video and featured it, calling it “either the best or the worst iPhone review ever”.

The video pissed off an entire community of Apple lovers, resulting in a flame war.

This is the video.

Now, check out some of the comments posted in Gizmodo.

Remind me never to travel to Singapore. My thoughts of that country have been tainted forever. How can ANYONE stand to listen to this half-wit for more than 30 seconds? She’s not clever, cute, or smart. She’s just painfully obnoxious. I demand the last 2 minutes of my life back! — QuailRider

Best review ever!…totally kidding is was TOTALLY shitty….the pain…i can’t beleive that i watched it all. — Mike918

God I want to kill her eyelashes. — humorbot

pardon me while I plot her untimely demise. — s017jrs

ROFL funny ass sh*t!

Of course, it’s even funnier watching Apple fanboys going nutballs taking this seriously… they would be so watching the whole video and laughing at it if this was about a Windows Mobile phone or something… — Bokusatsu_Tenshi

Read more here.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not crowing over Xiaxue getting flamed. This is like just another notch on her bed post for her. She can handle it. She’s tough and above flames. She eats flames for breakfast.

I just find the comments very funny.

My good friend Chong, who was the one who sent me the Gizmodo link, said, “Can Singapore disown her?”

I think that’s mean.

For the record, I rather enjoy reading Xiaxue’s blogs and watching her videos. I don’t agree with everything she says, but I cannot deny that she’s very, very entertaining. Plus she did get picked up by NLB to be in the National Archives, so how can we possibly disown her? She’s Singapore’s… uh… renegade darling.

Chong went on to say, “That’s the biggest reason why Singapore has no iPhone yet. Cos Steve Jobs reads Gizmodo.”

“Seriously,” he added.

Well, I really don’t know.

But I thought the video was really funny. And the comments that resulted were even funnier. I feel entertained. That has to count for something.

(P.S. I will not be replying to comments for this post for obvious reasons. Unless you say something that really compels me to.)

Categories: Regular Blogs
49 Comments »

If you missed the first ever Social Media Breakfast: Singapore, you’ll really want to come to the next (and subsequent) ones.

It was horrifyingly early (for a Saturday), to be sure. We told everyone to come at 9 am. We were there at 8:30 am to set things up. The bulk of attendees drifted in around 9:30 am. About 10 people from the confirmed attendees list didn’t turn up.

But it was still a good show. Over 40 people came, ate and tagged.

(Hisham managed to collect an impressive number of tags very early on.)

I noticed something very interesting.

During the entire event, people stood around the pool tables chatting…

…instead of choosing the more comfortable alternative.

The couches were largely unused all morning. Only Daryl and Jean seemed to appreciate the seating comfort.

Maybe Jean needed to sit down in order to write on her notepad. You might remember me mentioning in an earlier post that Jean has laryngitis and can’t talk for the next two months.

Rinaz, being the smartest of them all, hogged the bed.

Anyway, people are strange.

But strange people make the world fun. In the first place, the concept of social media breakfasts is pretty strange in itself, especially when you incorporate Jeff Pulver’s personal social networking toolkit.

But I think it was a huge success and people generally enjoyed themselves. I did. I actually brought two camcorders, planning to videotape the event, but I was so busy having fun, getting to know people, chatting, tagging, eating, and everything else, that I just didn’t have time to do any filming.

Michael saved the day, though. He brought his new HDV camera and put together a very nice video.

Here’s Mic with his vidcam:

And here’s Mic shooting my tags:

(Photo courtesy of Aaron Koh.)

And here’s the arm of the OCD, gender-confused ladyironchef, who took pains to arrange all his tags in a neat row.

Of course, the event wasn’t just about tagging. Many good discussions revolving social media and Web 2.0 were generated in just one short morning. Useful connections were made for future collaborations. And a new community was formed, paving the way for more exciting developments in the area of social media in Singapore.

Daryl has a good roundup of the event on his blog.

And here are the people who made this breakfast possible.

From left to right:

Daryl, who pulled the event together.

Derrick, whose idea it was to start this event.

Nabilah, who co-owns Frujch and graciously allowed us to mess up her place.

Sheylara, who prepared the tagging kits and helped in the video.

Ken, who is Caleb’s friend.

Caleb, who was the last-minute mystery sponsor of the event, offering to pick up the tab for everything.

Way to go!!

But I think the most important people in an event are the guests, without whom an event would not be possible.

Thanks to every last one of you who took the plunge and gave this inaugural event a chance. I can’t wait to see you guys again at the next breakfast!

Bring a friend the next time and keep the community growing!

(The tags I collected.)

The Social Media Breakfast was founded by Bryan Person in August 2007 and now operates in many cities in the USA. SMB Singapore is supported and endorsed by www.socialmediabreakfast.com.

Categories: Regular Blogs
14 Comments »

This is very scary.

It was scary enough when we started hearing news of gamers dying from gaming too much.

But news of bloggers dying from blogging too much is scarier because there are many more bloggers than gamers in the world.

It’s scarier for me because I’m both a blogger and a gamer.

But don’t worry. I’m not about to die from either because I’m not at risk. I will talk about that later, but here’s the news first.

Blogged Out
Mon, Apr 07, 2008
The Straits Times

SAN FRANCISCO - THEY work long hours, often to the point of exhaustion. Many are paid by the piece - not garments, but blog posts. This is the digital-era sweatshop. You may know it by a different name: home.

A growing workforce of homeoffice labourers and entrepreneurs, armed with computers and smartphones and wired to the hilt, are toiling under great physical and emotional stress created by the around-the-clock Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment.

In the last few months, two of them have died suddenly.

Two weeks ago in North Lauderdale, Florida, Mr Russell Shaw, a prolific blogger on technology subjects, died at 60 of a heart attack.

In December, another technology blogger, Mr Marc Orchant, died at 50 of a massive coronary. A third, Mr Om Malik, 41, survived a heart attack in December.

Other bloggers complain of weight loss or gain, sleep disorders, exhaustion and other maladies born of the nonstop strain of producing for a news and information cycle that is as always-on as the Internet.

Read the rest of the article here.

More and more companies are hiring bloggers these days. There’s a crazily significant increase in the number of blogging jobs in recruitment sites today from, say, a year or two ago.

It makes me wonder why some bloggers, if they’re able to help their employers generate hundreds of thousands of hits with their content, don’t just start their own blogs.

I mean, if you have the words and the stories, blogging can be one of the most lucrative business ventures at virtually no cost. Domain name and web hosting fees are negligible costs. Anyone can set up a blog.

So, if you’re going to write for someone, why not write for yourself??

If you’re going to die, might as well die for your own cause.

Okay, but I’m sure I know nuts about the business. If I do, I’d be raking in the millions from blogging already. As it is, I’m only raking in the tens. Hahaha.

Which is why I’m not at risk of death by blogging.

I blog for myself, about my own life. I have no deadlines (only self-imposed ones) and I don’t worry about people scooping my news because I make my own news.

I suppose that explains why I’m not making millions from blogging. But I really don’t want to die from blogging. Blogging shouldn’t be stressful. I write only stuff I enjoy writing (most of the time). If that doesn’t make money, too bad.

As for death by gaming, my days of 48-hour gaming sprees are gone. I’m more sensible now, thank goodness. (But I’m not claiming that I’m entirely sensible. I still do stupid things every so often.)

The Goonfather was the one who showed me the blogger death article. He linked it to me in MSN.

After reading it, I told him, “Good story.”

“Why?” he asked.

“What why?” I asked back.

“I show you to tell you not to blog until keow,” he said.

(Keow is the Hokkien word for “die”.)

“Hahaha. Stupid,” I said. “I’m going to blog about it.”

“…”

Anyway, I don’t think blogger deaths are going to happen in Singapore. Only foreigners do things to such extreme. Singaporeans only mess up the MRT tracks. That is the real scary news in Singapore. But the authorities say not to sensationalise it, so I’m not going to talk about it.

Well, just… take it easy, I guess.

Categories: Regular Blogs
25 Comments »

Super shag.

I went for a shoot this morning with only four hours of sleep. We were filming an online video series. Like lonelygirl15 but not like lonelygirl15, if you know what I mean.

It will be uploaded tonight but I’ll show it here only if I look good in it. Haha. Super vain.

No photos of today’s shoot. It’s sometimes hard to take photos on the set because I’m too busy changing clothes and learning lines and acting. But there was an official photographer on the set today so I’ll see if I can get some photos from him.

So, I’m talking rubbish today (instead of posting one of my severely backlogged event reports) because I’m half-dead and can’t think coherently enough to do a serious post.

But my rubbish is never as entertaining as the Goonfather’s rubbish, is it?

We were having lunch today (after my shoot).

I took out a piece of facial blotter to, well, blot my face. When I was done, I showed it to the Goonfather, just like how a kid would show his booger to his little sister.

“Looky!” I said. “So much oileeee!”

This is one of those things you would only show a partner who’s been with you for years. You would never do that with your first date, I’ll bet. People are funny that way.

The Goonfather stared at my oily blotter for two seconds, studying it carefully.

Then he asked, very seriously, “Is this a pap smear?”

“WTF are you talking about??” I said.

“There, first you pap pap all over your face. Then you got a smear on that paper.”

dotdotdot.

TIMES ONE ZILLION!!!

Someone kill me already.

Categories: Acting Journal, Regular Blogs
22 Comments »

And the parties just keep coming. I could really get used to this!

Xbox 360 celebrated its second birthday on Thursday by inviting a group of bloggers to The Screening Room to play games.

Can anyone even think of a better way to celebrate a birthday??

It was a really exclusive party during which we were shown (and even allowed to try) upcoming highly-anticipated Xbox 360 game titles.

(The first part of my games preview report is out here.)

I could really get used to this.

When we first arrived, we were tagged. I was told I was a ninja. Awesome blossom. We later found out that we had been split into groups for the gaming competition. Exciting.

(I was faintly disappointed that we didn’t get ninja costumes to wear but I guess I’m alone in this. Haha.)

Anyway, the first thing we did was just to mingle around and talk shop (games).

We posed for pictures.

(Blogger Farinelli, Microsoft rep Ian Tan and blogger Sheylara)

We watched “live” game demos.

The photo above shows me videotaping the Dragonball Z game which I embedded in my earlier blog. Now you know what lousy equipment I’m using for my videos. Haha.

We tried out Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3.

Although I should say “they”, because I already have Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3 at home.

We ate yummy food!

That mini burger is to die for, man. I love it! But I only ate one (and a stuffed chicken wing) because I was so so busy talking about games and playing games!!

We drooled at divine yummy host Oli Pettigrew.

At least I think the women did.

Oli’s a gamer, too, which makes him perfect for the job of hosting the party.

There was so much to do at the party and so little time.

There was a competition!!

We had four teams of 4-5 members each. Our teams had cool names like Ninja (my team!), Rockstar, Covenant and Ghost.

The games being competed in were Bomberman, Guitar Hero 3 and Project Gotham Racing 4. One or two representatives from each team were sent to play each game and wins were tallied at the end.

Jerrick and I represented our team for Guitar Hero 3!

Well, we didn’t score the highest on GH3. I’m actually much better at drums.

But… OUR TEAM WON in the final tally!!

I could hardly believe it!

Team Ninja won!!! Haha. Cool or not? Team Ninja, like the developer for Ninja Gaiden.

Okay lah, fine, I have no shame.

Anyway, we won this.

Grand Theft Auto IV long-sleeve t-shirts! OH-MY-GAWD.

I am such a game freak, getting excited over such things.

And this is, like, the third t-shirt I’ve won within a week!! (One is for the Ping.sg game and another was at an event I haven’t blogged about yet because I have too many things to blog about recently!)

Actually, I was a very lousy team mate. While my mates were competing in the other games, I was busy elsewhere chatting, eating, playing games, talking shop, instead of cheering them on. Haha. Sorry lah, guys!

But I love my team! You all rock!

There was a birthday-song-birthday-cake routine at the end. But the birthday cake was really special. It was a bunch of mini cakes! *lol*

Very innovative, and no messy cake cutting, either!

We were each given one to hold while we sang the birthday song. And all of us blew our own candle out. Cool, huh?

So we all had our cakes and ate it, too!

Microsoft very kindly gave away a Limited Edition Xbox 360 for the lucky draw.

And Farinelli won it!

(Lucky draw winner Farinelli poses with Microsoft’s Alan Chou and host Oli Pettigrew)

I am so jealous of him because it’s a special Halo 3 edition!!! But I’m also glad he won because he’s my team mate! And I already have an Xbox 360, anyway.

Way to go, Farinelli!!

It was Xbox 360’s birthday, but we all got presents, instead! This is my favourite kind of birthday party!!! Hahahaha.

Let’s see what’s in the goodie bag!

Two t-shirts, one of which is a limited edition Xbox 360, only 60 pieces made!

One Xbox 360 black wireless controller.

GTA4 stickers and coasters.

Fantastic!

I realise I have tons and tons of exclamation marks in this blog entry which makes me sound like a bimbo!!!

I’m sorry!! But I can’t help it because I’m so happy and excited!!!!

More parties, please!!!

Okay.

Bimbo-geek Sheylara signing out.

Bzzzt.

Categories: Gaming Notebook
14 Comments »